A co-worker’s retirement is a wonderful occasion to celebrate. You will no doubt want to share a heartfelt sentiment to wish your co-worker well on a retirement card. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you express your warm wishes.
-Be positive. Sometimes retirement can be a scary time of transition in a person’s life. While he or she may really want to retire, it is still a big lifestyle adjustment and can make even the most financially comfortable retiree a little nervous. Also, retirement signals that one is definitely getting older, which can also be a little unsettling to your co-worker. You can help ease the tension by being nothing but positive in your message on the retirement card.
-Be personal. While it’s nice to express standard congratulatory sentiments-like wishing your co-worker the well-meaning but generic “good luck”, it’s even better to try to be specific and show your co-worker that you connected to him or her on a personal level. Instead of just saying, “Now you will have more time to pursue your hobbies”, get specific! Is he or she an avid reader? Say “Now you’ll be up-to-date on all the current bestsellers!” Maybe gardening is more your co-workers thing? Mention that “now you’ll have more time to tend to those gorgeous roses!” If she or he is a sports and fitness enthusiast, you can quip that you expect to see her in the next marathon, or see him serving aces on the tennis court. Many retirees long to travel, having put it off while working. If this applies to your co-worker, you should definitely wish her or him exciting and safe travels. If you happen to know where he or she is interested in visiting, it’s even better to mention it specifically! Whatever your co-workers interests or hobbies, it will mean so much to her or him that you remembered and mentioned it!
-Be sincere. Everyone wants to hear that they will be missed, so make sure to end your message with such a sentiment. It’s great to get personal here as well and mention something that you will specifically miss about your co-worker. We all want to be remembered for something other than just showing up every day and doing our jobs; we like to be recognized as individuals. Maybe she has a great sense of humor and you will miss her witty one-liners that always made your Mondays a little less bleak; be sure to tell her! Maybe he always had a bowl of candies that often got you through a rough day; let him know! If you don’t know your co-worker that well, try to at least think of one anecdote or memory that you share and mention that-perhaps there was a dreadfully long meeting you both attended or a festive holiday party where you shared a toast? Taking the time to recall such memories will make your co-worker feel very special.